Telephone selecting device.



PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

Wa D. WATKIN3. TELEPHONE SELEGTING DEVICE. I

APPLIGATION FILED MAY16,1904.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

\Nltnese Httomegs PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

' W. D. WATKINS.

TELEPHONE SELECTING DEVICE,

APPLICATION FILED MAY16,1904.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' Mid/7Z2 4 J Inverftor Witnesses Attorneys UNITED WILLIAM Da /LID WATlli, Gi

TELEFHQNE SEE @AN JOEE, Ulilllli flltlfllll.

Specification of Letters JPatent.

1'0 all whom/'72 owl emmas:

Be it knowng thet I.- Vt ILLXeM'Dl-WID Wan KINs, a citizenot tneilnited States, residing at San Jose, in the-county ofSanta Clara and State of California, have invented a new and useful Telephone Selecting Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in telephone selecting apparatus, and has for one of its objects to provideian improved selecting and lock-out mechanism, which may beplaced on a party-line and so arranged that the talking-circuits of all of the subscribers except those in conversation will be cut out and lt'will be impossible for any subscriber along the line to listen to a conversation or break in on aconversation While the line is in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved selecting apparatus of the most simple and economical construction in which the selecting apparatus is of such na ture as to permit of its manufacture in large quantities, all of the parts being interchangeable and provision being made for properly adjusting each separate selector in accordance with the number of the station at which it is to be placed.

A further object of the invention is to construct a selector of such nature that when placed in the local stations of a party-line the beginning of operations by one subscriber in sending impulses alongthe line for the purpose of calling another subscriber will immediately lock out every other subscriber along that line with the-exception of. the one who is calling, the calling subscriber having first removed his receiver from the hook and placed the hook beyond the control of the look-out mechanism.

With these and other objects in View, as willinore fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the novel construction and. arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the same.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of atelephone selecting and lockout mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is sectional plan View of the base of the mechanism on the line 8 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the armature and the pawl-iarrying bar detached; 4 llig. 5 is adetail perspective view of a pair of cams for acting on the pawl-bar. Fig. 6 is a similar View of an adjustable arm by which the selecting and loch-out 1s operated. 7 is a diagram. of the wiring system employed. I Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures oi the drawings.

The several parts of selecting mechanism are supported on a suitable base i, that for the support of an electromagnet 3. The armature-lever l is pivotally mounted in a small. bracket 5, thatis supported by the permanent magnet, and said lever is formed of a single piece of soft iron that is twisted near its upper end'so to present a fiat polarized armature i to the poles of the magnet. armature-lever are formed two openings 6 and 7, serving as connections for the ends oi armature-springs 8 and 9, that serve to hold. the armature-lever in a central position with its upper portion parallel with two poles oi the magnet.

On a pivot-stud 18, that is secured to the base, is mounted a hub portion of a toothed ripheral teeth 20, all of the same depth and corresponding in number to the number of openings 2]: that are arranged in an arcuate row near the periphery of said disk, these openings serving to receive a pin 22, that is carried by an arm 23, ivotally mounted on' the hub of the disk. he disk 15 is also provided. with an enlarged project' 1g tooth or lug 24, which determines the initial position of the disk, being the position to which it is returned after each selecting operation, said disk being moved in the direction indicated by the arrow during the selecting movement cured at its inner end to the hub of the disk and at its outer end. to the fixed base by lugs projecting from said base.

To the lower end of armature-levers is pivoted a pawl-bar 26, having at its outer end a pawl 27, adapted to engage the teeth of the disk, and in normal position the projecting tooth 24. will rest against this pawl and preselector-disk 15, that is provided with pehas at its upper end a projecting lug or lugs 2 iii in the IOC and bein returned b a s iral )rilr 26 seformed'integral with a metallic -ing a bell-crank i .a pin 39, formed of vent further movement of the disk under the influence of its spring; The p awl-carrying bar is also formed of a single bar or strip of metal, and its end is slit, and one of the/ arms thus formed is bent outward, so as to engage against the opposite side of the ar'mz'tture, and thus prevent independent lateral play of the pawl-b ar. T hepawl-bar is provided with two cams 28 andZQ, that project, respectively, from the lower and upper faces of the pawlbar and are disposed at some distance'from the pawl 2 7L The pawl-b a1" is guided between two stationary cams 30 and 31., that are preferably plate 32, the cam .30 coacting with the cam to elevate the pawl-bar and the cam 31 serving in like man ner on the cam 29 to depress tl1e,pawl-bar.- To the upper cam 31, or at any other convenient point, is pivoted a holding-pawl 32, that engages with the teeth ol the selector-disk andv serves to retain the same in the position to which it is moved by the pawl 27, and the tail oi the pawl 32 is disposed. in the path of movement of a pin 33, thatprojects laterally from the pawl-carrying bar, and when said carrying-bar is moved inward, or in the direction of the selector-disk, at the completion of a selecting operation the pinwill engage the tail of the pawl and will more said pawl from engagement with the teeth of the ratchet disk, allowing-the same to return to its non ma]. position under theinl'luence ol spring 26.

On the base-plate is pivoted a stud 36, havlever 37.' The horizontal arm 38 of the bell-crank lever has a rounded or pointed, end portionthat normally rests on insulating material and carried by the selectoralisk. l"ne'approi\:imatcly verticis weighted, as by a block of insulating material, and. is disposed immediately above and. to one side oi the receiver-hmll; switch ll, and if the pin. 39 should pass from above the end ol arm 38 the bell-crank lever would move by gravity to a position imn'icdiz'itely over the receiver-hook switch, and thus prevent upward movement of said switch. The arm 38 may further be depressed by moans of an arm 42, that projects from the end of armQlS, so that as the selector-disk turns and carries with it the arm 22% the bell-crank lever will be depressed and the receiver-hook switch released, and the receiving-hook may then rise in the usual mannerwhen the receiver is removed. and complete the talliing-circuit. in addition to the usual contacts under control of the receiver-hook switch there are two contacts 50 and 51, that normally are maintained in closed position by the. receiver-hook switch when the receivcr is on the hook.

To render the operation of the apparatus clear, a diagram of the main wiring system is shown. The two line-wires and 53 are connected to all of the stations alongthe line,

all arm 40 of the bellrerank lever I 37 and. closing the calling-circuit.

sane-c9 and at each local station isa callbell 54 and the usual transmitter and receiver, together with such other apparatus as may be necessary.

The wire 55 is connected by a wire 56 to .the'contact 51, and from contact 50'lea'dsa wire 57, terminatmg at a switch 57, which may be turned to engage a contact 57" or a contact 57 Normally the switch in engagcmentwith the contact 57 and the cir cuit s closed from thence through wire 57 to the clectron'iagnet 3.

From the contact 57 extends a wire 57%- in which is connected a battery; 57, and opposite terminal of the battery is connected to the wire 57, so that when necessarythe switch 57 may he turned to engage contact 57", and thus connect the battery in thedine.

W hen a subscriber desires to call another subscriber, he moves the switch 57 *"rron'i. its normal position into contact with the switch point 57", and thus closes. acir'cuit tlnroug'h the battery 57 I This circuit may be traced from the ground through wire 58 to electromagnet. 3, wire 57, wire 57, cattery 57 contact 57, switch 5?, wire 57, contacts 50 51, wire 56, wire 55, line-wire 52 to the corrcspending local wires at all of the. other sta lions alongihe line. The circuit Lipv id for a number of times corresponding to the number otthe station to be called. fit the lirst closing oi the circuit and the lust movement ol' all of the selector-disks all ol the pins 3%) will move aw j from the arms 38 and. the bell-cranlr lovers will all move over the re ceiVcr-hook switches and hold the same from movement to circuit-closing position. The calling subscriber removes his receiver from. the hook prior to the calling operation, sothathis phone beyond the control ol lhe apparatus, while all ol" the other"receiver hook snitchcs on the line are locked. il the station lo be called is number six, there will be six impulses sentalong the line and the selector-disk 15 will be moved to the extent ol six teeth, gradually moving the arm 42 to a position o vcr the arm 35% of bell-crank lover Should the subscribens number no live, it is necessary to send live impulses only along the line. to bring the arm 42 ol subscriber nun'iber- 5 to circuit-closing position, and so on throughout the series of subscribers, it-being neces-. sary merely to adjust the pin '22 of the arm 23 into the proper opening of the disk.

To accomplish the ringing of the bell '54, an alternating current is sent out along wire 53, and the circuit may be traced through wire 60, receiver-hook switch 4-1, wire 61, to bell 54, wire 62 to pin 42, (through the whole of the selecting mechanism, if necessary) bellerank lever 37 wire 63 and wire 58 to ground, thus ringing the bell of the called subscriber, while all of the other bells remain silent and all of the receiver-hook switches, except thoseof' 1 o the calling and the called subseriber,will be loosed from movement, so that no person along the line can overhear the conversation.

' outer end of t e growl-bar down.

A direct cuirent sent along wire 52 to or:- erate the selecting mechanism is of such clicrocter as to render only the upper pole of the me et operable, end it attracts the upper em or" the armature e number of times equal to the number of the station to be called, the limit of movement of such armature being from its postition shown in Fig. 1 to an engu ler position to be assumed when the upper end of tlie ormetiu'e comes into contact with the upper poles of the electromegnetv The result of this movement is that the pawl 27 engages with. the successive teeth 20 of the selector-disk, and st each movement the can). 28 oil the pawl-bar will ride up the com 30, end the pawl will become jammed in the tooth or in the space between two teetl' end thus prevent any excessive movement of the disk under its acquired momentum. Movement in the opposite direction Will be under the influence of one of tlie armoturdsprings, and each time the upper pole of the magnet attracts the armature the disk Will be turned to the extent of at single tootli. After the completion of the ceiling operation :1 direct current is sent out along the line, this time in the reverse order, and the lower pole of the electromognet becomes operative. and by ettroctiug the armature below the pivot-point of the letter will cause. an extended inward movement of the pawl-carrying bar, and dut ing this movement'the cam 29 of the pewlbar will ride a einst the cam 31 and force the end of the pawl er depresses arm 38 of the bell-crank lever, and outward movement will cause such bell-crank lever to positively move away from the )iD 42 should there be any tendency of the latter to stick at this point end prevent return movement of the disk. At the some time the Fin 33 of the pawl-bar will engage the tail 0' the pawl 32 and move said pawl from engagement with the teeth of the selector-disk, permitting'the latter to assume its normal position.

The outer Vfliile the device has been described as used in connection with telephones; it is to be ul'iderstood that it may ire ei'nployed a seporete signaling s" us when desired without departing lrorri the invention.

llevin thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1 l. l6Ci'5i"-/')1-ll\)0l( lock including a pivotoily-mounted lever, e mien t--disl :1 pair of spaced pins carried ti'iere oy, one of which normally op'oges an holds the looking no 1011, said pin being it it oner; 1n ere gegement with the lever to br the signal-- circuit of the telephone and means "for turning the disk to first permit eutometic locking movement of the lever and maintain the some locked until the second pin engages said lever and moves it to release position.

in selecting mechanism, e toothed disk mounted for otetive moveme :1. pawl engaging the some, a pewtcerr ing her having upper and lower com-shoulders, a pair oi stm tionary coins tclie engaged byseid shoulders, e11 armature connected to the pawl-oer, en electromegnet for operating the armature, e locking-pawl for holding the-disk. in the position to which it is moved, and means on the pawl-bar for moving said locking-pawl to reposition.

3. In selecting mechanism, a toothed disk,

the disk, one of which is insulated, and the other a conductor, said pins being adopted to engege the lever, a pawl, carrying leer having a pair of com-shoulders, a air of stationary oems with which said shou ders engtege, o locking-pawl, a pin or lug carried by t 1e bar and engaging said locking owl, o. ipolarized armature connected to the or, out an electromegnet for operating the armature.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto a-fl'ixed my signature in the presence or two witnesses.

WILLlAll l DAVID WATKINS.

Witnesses:

J. BOLSTER, J. E. l lonu'r.

a. bell-crenk lever, a pair of pins carried by 

